Party moves to combat accusations of drift and defeatism

A RATTLED Green leadership last night moved to try and rubbish claims of spinelessness in its dealings with Fianna Fáil.

Party big guns attempted to return fire on outgoing Senator Déirdre de Búrca by claiming she had other reasons for quitting than those stated in her damning letter of resignation. Green president Senator Dan Boyle, who himself had a resignation “wobble” recently over Government banking policies, insisted Ms de Búrca went for “personal reasons” but would not elaborate on what they might be.

“She has been semi-detached since the euro-elections and she was thinking of herself and her own life. She would have decided politically after the election that she wouldn’t have seen a future for herself in politics,” he said.